2/29/2016

Hey family this week has been awesome. Elder Rodriguez and I have been enjoying serving here in extra time more than ever this week the hand of the Lord has been manifests in every part of the work we have been so blessed to be instrument in his hand and help further his work.

This past week we have had some pretty awesome experiences with an investigator named Angela. Angela is the wife of a member that lives in a small Area called San Antonio, it's straight up the mountain from where we live. We have been visiting her family for quite some time and have been really focused on being consistent with Angela and trying to serve her. She is awesome but she has been having some health problems and other personal circumstances that have been obstacles for her. We were beginning to worry that she was going to become an "eternal investigator" heaven for-bid, so we decided to go and teach her a power Charla early one afternoon with her family last Saturday. When we arrived in breathless and red in the face to her house on the mountaintop, her son Carlos was outside waiting for us; he was excited and told us "my mom must be baptized! she told me she wants to be baptized! Well our hopes were always high and we know that baptism is A real expectation for all of those we teach,Still, this was the last thing that we were expecting. What an amazing blessing! We walked into the house and sat down and had an awesome lesson with Angela. She told us that she wanted to be baptized and we planned on Sunday and she accepted. The Lord truly tested her heart and prepared her to accept our invitation for such a quick baptism date. She had already come to church and lived the other requirements for baptism. This week Angela has had some huge obstacles come up.i am sure Satan pulled out almost all the stops to prevent Angela from being baptized, but she remained strong all throughout this week even though there was not one day that password by without serious trials.
 Angela was baptized yesterday with a smile on her face her son was able to that baptize her and it was an awesome experience for her  a testimony builder for me.
 Yesterday we also have the baptism is for families Hernandez and also the family Monotalla; both of these families are awesome and I love them. I will send you their stories next week. The Monotalla  family are an older couple, they are 75 years old and have demonstrated huge faith to be baptized yesterday they walked several miles every Sunday to come to church and then another several miles to return to their house homes each week. The Hernandez family also had to have so much faith in the Savior and our great examples of service .This week I would like to invite you to to find opportunity to share the gospel through service.  When we serve others we serve that" at times the wisdom of that appears to be foolish or just too difficult, but one of the greatest and most valuable lessons we can learn from mortality is that when God speaks and man obeys, that man will always be right." Thomas S. Monson

Elder Baldwin

Hi Elder Grant, 

Today we had Stake conference. It was great, an 8year old, 12 year old and 15 year old spoke and they did an awesome job. I was very impressed. Last nights adult session 2 women spoke of their conversion and how members had helped them along. They were very sincere and heart felt. 

It made me think of what I am doing to further the kingdom. I am inviting people to come to activities, to the temple, go on walks, come to church. I need to keep thinking of people to invite and pray for them.

I loved the experience you shared of Angela, how was her baptism?

Also what is the situation with your electricity out put, could it handle a toaster oven?

We would like to send you one, but do not know what outage you need.

The weather here has been 65--70 degrees. I have been taking walks on my lunch breaks, it is nice right now. Next week is spring break....looking forward to that.

We are sending some excerpts of Buckeroo:)

XOxxxoooo

Love, MOM

2/29/2016

Hey family this week has been awesome. Elder Rodriguez and I have been enjoying serving here in extra time more than ever this week the hand of the Lord has been manifests in every part of the work we have been so blessed to be instrument in his hand and help further his work.

This past week we have had some pretty awesome experiences with an investigator named Angela. Angela is the wife of a member that lives in a small Area called San Antonio, it's straight up the mountain from where we live. We have been visiting her family for quite some time and have been really focused on being consistent with Angela and trying to serve her. She is awesome but she has been having some health problems and other personal circumstances that have been obstacles for her. We were beginning to worry that she was going to become an "eternal investigator" heaven for-bid, so we decided to go and teach her a power Charla early one afternoon with her family last Saturday. When we arrived in breathless and red in the face to her house on the mountaintop, her son Carlos was outside waiting for us; he was excited and told us "my mom must be baptized! she told me she wants to be baptized! Well our hopes were always high and we know that baptism is A real expectation for all of those we teach,Still, this was the last thing that we were expecting. What an amazing blessing! We walked into the house and sat down and had an awesome lesson with Angela. She told us that she wanted to be baptized and we planned on Sunday and she accepted. The Lord truly tested her heart and prepared her to accept our invitation for such a quick baptism date. She had already come to church and lived the other requirements for baptism. This week Angela has had some huge obstacles come up.i am sure Satan pulled out almost all the stops to prevent Angela from being baptized, but she remained strong all throughout this week even though there was not one day that password by without serious trials.
 Angela was baptized yesterday with a smile on her face her son was able to that baptize her and it was an awesome experience for her  a testimony builder for me.
 Yesterday we also have the baptism is for families Hernandez and also the family Monotalla; both of these families are awesome and I love them. I will send you their stories next week. The Monotalla  family are an older couple, they are 75 years old and have demonstrated huge faith to be baptized yesterday they walked several miles every Sunday to come to church and then another several miles to return to their house homes each week. The Hernandez family also had to have so much faith in the Savior and our great examples of service .This week I would like to invite you to to find opportunity to share the gospel through service.  When we serve others we serve that" at times the wisdom of that appears to be foolish or just too difficult, but one of the greatest and most valuable lessons we can learn from mortality is that when God speaks and man obeys, that man will always be right." Thomas S. Monson

Elder Baldwin

2/22/2016
This past Saturday we also saw an amazing miracle: this is a part member family that we have been visiting since I first came to Ixtacon. The wife of the family is not a member, but she comes to church almost every Sunday.  She is very quiet and it is a little difficult for her to answer questions that are direct. She also has health problems that make it hard for her to walk to church sometimes. We have invited her to be baptized several times and she never did except due to her circumstances, but this week when we arrived in the area where she lived this past Saturday her son who isn't member ran out and started talking with us and he said "my mom wants to be baptized!" So we went and visited her, her name is Angela. She was super excited when we came and we were able to have an awesome lesson with her. She accepted to be baptized this next Sunday.
   I know that the Lord answers prayers and that he works miracles in our lives every day. I am happy and doing great I love the work of the Lord and the opportunity that I have to be his servant I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he is my savior.

Elder Baldwin

2/22/2016

Hey Mom! this week has been Great. Just a Quick note, while we are extremely thankful for your support and concern for the swimming pool/ pilla for baptisms. that is something that i believe will be taken care of on a local church level. we will  have one soon! thanks so much. Tell mike that I love him and that i hope all is well for his family. don't worry about my health here we take good care of ourselves! the fleas aren't a big deal just inconvenience. Also thanks for sending the baptisms photos

Elder Baldwin

2/21/2016
Good morning Elder Grant,

   I am still waiting to hear back from Pres. Stucki and helping you raise funds for a portable font. They have them in Africa and they are easy to store and transport.

   I loved hearing about Ernesto and his Family. How are they doing?

So the flea infestation problem is gross---I assume you take them home with you, are you able to sleep? Any remedies for fleas? is there a spray?

We hope you liked the package, the Frizbees are coming. Also I sent off the baptism photos. They will be coming in a regular envelop, in order to hasten the delivery, if you want 5 X 7 or 8 X 10's let us know and I can send more.

Dad has been sick again, we think he had some sort of virus---walking around temple square last weekend in 20 degree weather and a thin jacket didn't help matters. He needs to take more garlic, fruits, vegetables---that helps me ward off invaders. My back has gone out again, it has been out for around 3 weeks. I went to the chiropractor Friday and I am going again tomorrow. So, I am so thankful for technology and all of the great blessings we have : great health care, clean home, warm bed, the opportunity to have healthy food, exercise, showers. I think of you every time I take a shower. You are happy regardless of your circumstances, that is one of the greatest take homes of your mission, I am so grateful for your mission. It has been over 7 months now. It was funny, Mike Hall was asking me today if you were coming home this summer......I told him no he will be out 8 months next month. He asked me how I can handle it. I told him that Grant is so happy and loves the people he is teaching, that it has been the best thing for him. That the people he serves are happy with nothing, that he is realizing one can be happy with very little.

Erin had her first dance Saturday. It was El cheapo, she had fun with a group of 8. Auria was one of the people in the group. They went to a cabin in Pine Valley, made cookies, played games, and then came back to our house for a barbecue. Then they went to the dance, then Menche's yogurt, then home. Pierce asked her so she had to pay. She had fun, kissed him twice.

The scripture i am ponderizing this week is Doctrine and Covenants 88:15,16

2/15/2016

Well to start off this week has been awesome! We have been working hard and enjoying the highs and lows of missionary work. In reality, there aren't too many lows just sometimes we get savaged by fleas at some of our appointments.

Elder Rodriguez and I have seen many miracles this week, the Lord truly knows us personally and blesses each of us in this aspect, but in this work I have noticed how blessed we have been as families and right now how blessed my companion and I have been blessed as a companionship. The Lord truly is in every detail of our lives are one of the blessings/miracles that we have witnessed this week is that we were able to find a new family of gold. This past Wednesday we were in the outskirts of my in an area called San Antonio we were visiting a family called the family Hernandez.
  We were talking about their preparations for marriage and baptism it was an awesome lesson and towards the end the dad of the family stood up and kind of shouted "there is someone I want you to meet" so we ended the lesson and followed hermano Hernandez into the jungle. Pretty soon we arrived at a small house with the coolest view I think I have ever seen! You can see half of Guatemala and five massive volcanoes that are blowing smoke and stuff. We were introduced to our ErNesto Gonzalez, he is the head of the family, by our investigator Hermano Rodriguez. Ernesto invited us in warmly and introduced us to his wife and everyone of his dogs. It was neat, we shared the message of the restoration of the gospel with them and had a super spiritual experience. They are humble and excepted the challenge to be baptized on 20 March, but one of the best parts of or one of the most powerful part of this experience is
 that our investigator, Brother Hernandez, supported us when we shared the lesson he shared what the church meant for his family and invited them to come to church with us. They are super receptive and we are excited to continue visiting them and helping them progress towards there goal of baptism.

 This week we also finally had the opportunity to find a bigger house to hold church meetings. Hopefully, we will be able to be moved in by next week.I'll try to send some pictures if I can. I am so thankful for all that you do for me I have a testimony that Jesus is the Christ. He lives and his church has truly been restored to the earth. I would invite each of you to have your heart and mind ready to share what you believe especially about our Savior and remember that was his infinite atonement is both for us the center and the saint for each of us have a great week!

Elder Baldwin

Elder

Elder Grant Baldwin

-------------------------

Well, we have had a fu time this wee up here in Provo, SLC, and bountiful. Went to cabbalas yesterday and got a case for Erin's Ruger 10/22. We got stuck in traffic at the point of the mountain like happens soon often! Then we went to the SLC temple and the city creek mall. What a huge contrast in that and where you currently are. Today we got to see Elder Ballard at conference with Grandma and Grandpa Barlow. It was great. Im sure mom included all what he said. The powerful part of the mission was when a mission President and his wife who just came home from Georgia spoke. He called up an elder from his mission who he said had a vision to change a bishop's vision for his ward, who then went and changed the vision for the stake, who then saw baptisms explode because they were all on the same page. That concept of that one person sharing a vision about reaching out to the "one" ended up affecting hundreds of lives. Pretty awesome thought!




Well, we are going to the Martinez's to celebrate grandma's birthday. Have a great week. Im thrilled that you have a good companion and it sounds like the work is going great. We are looking in to seeing of we can send a portable baptistry/font. Don't know f it will work. We ended up buying a metal trough at one of my areas. It was big enough for 2 people. Let us know if they sell something like that down there that we could send money for you to buy. If not, we can send one as a ward project. 



I love you Grant. Been teared up all day thinking about your service and how much it means to our family and those you are teaching. Have a great week. Love Dad.

-------------------------------





Steve Amy Baldwin <luckybfarms17@gmail.com>



Feb 14 (1 day ago)











to Grant
























Today Erin, Erin's friend McKali, Dad and I are at Grandma and Grandpa Barlow's house. We are up for 1) months ago I thought Erin would be swimming in State at BYU, I made a hotel reservation for Friday the 12th. The swimming situation changed due to Erin not qualifying for state, but we kept the Hotel reservation anyway because she wanted to see other swimmers swim.2) Also, we could have the opportunity to go through the Prove City temple open house, Also 3) we could celebrate Grandma's birthday.

    Yesterday after dropping Erin and Mckali off at the final swim competition, dad and I went to the Provo temple and went to an endowment session. It was really peaceful almost too peaceful, dad and I had a hard time staying awake. It doesn't seem to matter what time of day, dozing is inevitable. I look around me and most people are dozing.(Every time I attend the temple, I put your name in: praying for your health, that your body is adapting to the conditions there, and that you will come home with no long term ill health effects, that you feel loved, and that you are able to relay the love of the Savior and Heavenly Father to the people.)  I think it is because it is dark and peaceful and most people have seen the film numerous times. Anyway, I was thinking about the person I was going through for Josephe Jeanne Salle from France, born in 1783, praying that she would accept and embrace this ordinance and grateful for this chance to be there for her. I prayed today that she and others that I have performed ordinances for will assist us now through our trials. It is so comforting to feel and know our ancestors, and the people we are performing ordinances for are with us, pulling for us. I have increased my temple attendance to once a week, partly for more assistance, partly because I need the power of the temple and the atonement. A scripture I have been pondering this week is Hellman 5:10--about how the Lord does not save us in our sins but from our sins, the next verse 12 goes onto tell us how, from our sins with repentance through the atonement. I am so grateful for this knowledge! So grateful you are helping people see this and grateful you have such humble people! Thank you for sharing your experiences I can't wait for Mondays to come and feel of your love and spirit. Your new companion, Elder Rodriguez sounds good, nice that he speaks English. How are the plans for a new building and font coming? if nothings is new there, tell us when it does happen.




I am rounding up your baptismal pictures, do you want them 4 X 6 photo size or 8 1/2 by 10 or both?



I sent another package of Frisbees, more vitamins, veggie soup mixes, and oatmeal.. let me know if the oatmeal works for you....don't know if you eat  it without milk?



Thanks for the picture, I assume that is your new companion, who is standing next to him in the grey shirt?



We were able to go to Grandma's stake conference and Elder Ballard spoke! 

We were so blessed to be able to be at the conference----I was 30 feet from Elder Ballard! So grateful to hear his counsel and blessing. He read about Satan and how he is raging in the heart of men----carefully down to hell, pacifying in creating a false sense of security. 2 Nephi 28. He said some people even in the church are feeling that the brethren are too strict and out of touch. He counseled us to stay and have a firm testimony in the leadership of the church. He also warned of pornography and called those in the audience addicted to it to repent.

He spoke of Doctrine and covenants 138 that we are are all going to die-what will happen when we die is that we will be accountable to God of who we rescued, so be a missionary now. 

Be obedient and invite. That is what you were doing.

   The speakers before the conference were amazing, the spirit was so strong! there were 2 youth, one sister who recently returned from Texas south speaking mission and an Elder preparing to serve. They were so confident and prepared. The sister spoke of how angels bore her up and how they are helping us. I started to weep and could not stop, throughout the whole meeting because I had had the same thoughts and impressions earlier when I was on a walk. It was like I was hearing a repeat of the my thoughts during the talks. I have never felt that before to that extent. Lately I have been discouraged with the "raging" that is going on in the world with the presidential debates, the attack on the family and the defining of marriage, and now with the death of Justice Scaliea.....( He had a heart attack last week) anyway, I was pondering and felt strongly that the people I have gone through the temple for and my grandparents, etc. will help us as we struggle in the future and now.



Love,

Mom

2/8/2016
hey Baldwins ONLY POR FAVOR! this week has been awesome and full of a lot of changes! My new companion is Elder Rodriguez from Tegucigalpa Honduras.He is a stud and we get along really well. He is fluent in english so its been nice to speak english with him every now and then. My area is doing awesome and we are crazy busy trying to find a new house to hold church meetings that can accomodate more people. We are also trying to find a way to build a baptism pila here in the mountain. This week i have also been introducing my companion to all of our investigators and the members here on the mountaintain

2/7/2016

Here are some recent pictures. The One with Auria and Erin was taken Feb. 6th, the youth went to the new Provo City temple open house for the day, it was a quick one day trip. I did not go because #1 they all ready had enough leaders, # 2 we are going up to Bountiful next week end for Grandma's Birthday on Sunday and we are going through the Provo temple on the way back down on Monday, and # 3 I didn't want to go up and go back in one day with the youth:). You can see the last 3 pictures are of Erin and Pierce. Pierce asked her to El Cheapo on Feb. 18th. She is going with a group. She can date Pierce as long as she is in a group., I made an exception for this Thursday it is her birthday and Pierce asked her for lunch; she can go with just him for lunch. 

I bore my testimony today about the fullness of the gospel, the atonement and of the blessings we have having a chapel, and the fullness of the gospel to experience right here and now. Thank you for sharing your experiences and testimony. 

We tried to make a voice message, but I made it too long I guess, it would not send so I am trying again.

Wanted to know how your water was, you mentioned you needed vitamins and spices. I am sending those this week, plus some Frisbees.

You should be receiving a Valentine's package. I sent it over a month ago, who knows it will probably take longer to reach you than it did when you were in the city. It had vitamins in it also, I am sending the gummy kind because I know you like gummies, let me know if you like them, if not I can send the vitiamins/minerals in pill form

How is your new companion? Can't wait to hear the details! Love you !!!!

xoxoxoxo

 MOM

Happy Valentines day!

Feb. 2nd, 2016
Wow this week has been awesome yesterday we were able to travel in a small bus to be The nearest church building which is about an hour away in Cuilada and have the baptism of a young man named Helamen. It was amazing to bring all of the members and investigators from the humble branch extension that we have in I ask you a T AN in to see how the church really is in a full operating branch with an actual building. To hold all meetings. It was especially interesting to see the reaction of some of the kids when they saw a drinking fountain for the first time in their lives. The baptism was awesome exclamation the spirit was so strong I love being able to see the changes that the gospel brings to those who choose to follow it. Human is a stud he is progressing quickly and is a light for his friends and for his family. This last week we also had the opportunity to find some solid new investigators one of them is called melon we met him in a lesson that we had in the house of a member this past Tuesday night there were about 20 members and investigators in the house it was a full house melon is a referral that another investigator name Ludwin brought to the lesson we shared the message of the restoration with them. The spirit was super strong… I'm pretty sure that the neighbors won't we were able to feel the spirit it was so strong. We challenged or rather invited them to baptism at the end of the lesson and they all excepted the invitation so we are working hard to help them reach their goals and enter their waters a baptism. Today and tomorrow we had changes in the mission in English I think that we called transfers we know that my companion Elder Hernandez has transfers. I will continue on here and I X. We won't know who will be my new companion until later tonight. It's exciting have changes but I will miss my companion.
    Elder Baldwin

----------------
Feb. 1st

Hello son. I’m up late working on some assignments Grayson gave me over the weekend. I’m very far behind so I won’t be able to take much time to write. I was very sick last week, but finally able to go back to work on Tuesday. It’s been a crazy week. We are going over performance appraisals and I have to get a writeup for every staff person justifying their ranking. The good news is that they are getting my 3^rd Assistant manager back to me so life will be much easier in a few weeks. Things are great at work and at home. We pray for you every night. We are much better at family prayer and scriptures now. Erin gets her license in a couple of weeks. Woo hoo? Talked to Russ Eardly. They have their new house framed in pinion hills and will be back by may or so. Hukill says hi. We talk all the time. Brett says hey. We are going horn hunting in a week or 2. Kurt is now managing the paint shop in Cedar. They finally gave him the opportunity so he’s happy!

Well, I love you with all my heart son and miss you. I’m proud of your selfless service and your love for the people of Guate. Have a great week. Take some time to let us know how you are feeling, if you need anything, etc. Love Dad.

--------------------

1/31/2016

Tonight we went to Duana's for a dinner gathering as you can see. I will send you the voice message that goes along with the pictures. Let me know if you can access it. The next to Quade in the maroon shirt is Dominque he is Taysha's boyfriend. Taysha lives in St. George now, she is 23(One of Tony's girls) Tony is now living in Ogden as well as Shanna, she is managing a subway in Hurricane, she said she thought she saw you awhile back, do you remember? Francis moved back down here, she has an apartment in town. Quade and his wife moved to the ledges, I know crazy, They are renting a basement apartment.
Erin and I went to the best of EFY yesterday. It was great. Some gleanings from the speakers:

     "The goal of this life is not to get a testimony but to keep your testimony" We need to remember we fought valiantly for the Savior and had faith that he would do what he would say he would do. We are full of light and truth. We are like Jaredites boat.---tight like unto a dish. The only way we are going to sink is if we let water in.

     We need to be of good Cheer.-commandment. We will never be happy if we are selfish.

Smile-light of the body is in our eye. You have that light Grant. During Christmas you were always smiling--radiating the spirit, it oozes from your letters. Thank you.

Have you had the baptisms of  lili ludwin, carlos, and Helaman? What about the 3 deaf sisters? How do you teach them---yelling?

Love you!!!!!xoxoxoxox

MOM